Ok, this is a shameless bragging post, but I can't help it! :-)

I continue to be very excited about the activity level of my Phals. First of
all 22 out of my 32 Phals are currently in bloom or in spike -- that's
counting Phals only, not the other orchids, which are also active, but not
quite as much at this time.

I keep discovering additional (multiple) spikes on Phals that are in bloom
or in spike.

I've got one Phal that is currently active on 4 spikes! (It's continuing on
3 pre-existing spikes and starting 1 new spike.)
Another Phal is active on 3 spikes.
9 of my Phals are active on 2 spikes.
10 of my Phals are active on only one spike for now (but given the rate at
which I am discovering new spikes and the continuing high humidity and
temperature differences between night and day, who knows how many more of
these will throw another spike).

I remember the thrill I had the first time that a Phal started 2 spikes in
my care. In my previous apartment this was a rare event, but the new condo
seems to be really well received by my Phals. :-) I think the single factor
that has changed the most in the environment is the increased humidity,
which continues to be high even though we have already turned on the heat. I
did not realize before just how much of a difference high humidity makes for
spiking activity of Phals -- I thought light and temperature difference were
the main two factors, and humidity, while nice to have, was not as
important. I guess now I know better.

Joanna

Ok, this is a shameless bragging post, but I can't help it! :-)

Shameless bragging posts are good for soon to be born babies. Didn't you
know that??

Yes, humidity matters. Here in SFL, our challenge is low humidity in winter,
but we make up for it with the high moisture in the months previous to that,
and our plants adjust as necessary. The Phals (which we personally grow in
Aliflor) get more water now, as opposed to the Catts, which want less. We
have had the requisite diurnal temp range lately, so our Phals are showing
their spikes. I have some Phals which have not yet recovered from the 2004
storms, so we will see if they choose to spike this year. If they don't, I
will give them dispensation for this season!

Diana

I Have 3 Phals in spike, all "rescued" plants from the home improvement
stores, but none seem to want to open their buds, am I impatient or is
something I'm doing wrong, I know that my humidty is low (45%)

Jack

Aah, that explains it: they are rescued plants from the home improvement
store! In that case the bud blasting is most likely due to the conditions
that they were in before they came into your care. 45% humidity should not
be a problem for Phals -- while they will thrive even more in high humidity
(as mine show), I have successfully grown and reflowered Phals in an
apartment where the humidity would dip down into the 30% or even below
that -- the Phals did not spike as much as they do now, but they certainly
did not loose buds.

How long ago did you rescue these Phals? Have you checked them carefully for
bugs? You might want to repot them if you have not done so yet -- even
though repotting may stress out the plant as well and cause additional bud
blast, but if you discover that the roots are not healthy then acting on
this information you may save the plant for the future, and in the home
improvement store the plants are likely to have been treated in a way that
may mean that their roots are in dire shape (if you need advice on how to
repot, please ask). If these are rescued plants I would not count on them
blooming for you now, but rather I would try to concentrate on saving the
plants' roots and leaves, and then if they improve they will hopefully
rebloom for you a year from now.

This is why I generally do not buy rescued plants, since I am impatient and
not willing to wait that long for a first flowering. Plus it can be
disconcerting to have a plant that is not doing well, and one is likely to
fall into the trap of thinking that it is one's own fault, whereas really it
is likely the effects of what the plant went through before coming into
one's care.

On the other hand, I once bought a plant that turned out not to have any
roots left, and then with proper care and patience, it flowered for me very
nicely two years later and it now has plenty healthy roots. So sometimes a
rescue may turn into a success story.

Good luck!
Joanna

"Jack" wrote in message
ups.com...
I Have 3 Phals in spike, all "rescued" plants from the home improvement
stores, but none seem to want to open their buds, am I impatient or is
something I'm doing wrong, I know that my humidty is low (45%)

Jack

I'm not really worried about the phals, all have good roots, it was my
onc. (wil. kirrori red) that was bud blasting, I repotted to s/h and
cut the spike, last weekend, right on about the roots. With the Phals
I have 2 that have buds on the spike which haven't done anything for 2
weeks, and my third is just now spiking, seems to grow and inch, then
just sit there for a week

VERY ANNOYING

Besides where else can you get a phal for 4 bucks, though I kinda
wished I knew their names.

Jack

Jack,

Some Phals grow spikes and buds slower than others. I have some that need to
spike for only one month from the beginning of spiking till the flowering,
and others take 3 months (most of mine probably average at about 2 months
spiking before flowering). Some seem to grow buds at a snail's pace, and
others just plump them up nicely in no time at all. As long as they do grow
that additional inch of spike every so often or as long as buds are looking
healthy even if not getting noticeably bigger, chances are high that it will
turn out ok in the end. Sometimes spikes do stall, and will not continue to
grow at all (and often the causes for that may be hard to pinpoint). The
good news is that with most phals once they start to spike, as long as they
are treated fairly well (including: do not water them too frequently, be
sure to give them good light on a windowsill -- but not too much light, so
not midday full sun), chances are high that they are going to flower for
you.

Best,
Joanna (who will shut up now and let others respond as well)

"Jack" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm not really worried about the phals, all have good roots, it was my
onc. (wil. kirrori red) that was bud blasting, I repotted to s/h and
cut the spike, last weekend, right on about the roots. With the Phals
I have 2 that have buds on the spike which haven't done anything for 2
weeks, and my third is just now spiking, seems to grow and inch, then
just sit there for a week

VERY ANNOYING

Besides where else can you get a phal for 4 bucks, though I kinda
wished I knew their names.

Jack

The light could be it, I'm in Alaska only getting 8-9hrs sun, low to
the south, now that you mentioned it, I do remembering that Phals
require light to "ripen". I'll have to go to Wally World for some full
spectum flourencent lights.

"Jack" wrote in message
ups.com...
The light could be it, I'm in Alaska only getting 8-9hrs sun, low to
the south, now that you mentioned it, I do remembering that Phals
require light to "ripen". I'll have to go to Wally World for some full
spectum flourencent lights.

Poor Jack.no skylight? I never got anything to grow well in Chugiak except
Wandering (excuse me) Jew and cactus but our dome had a super skylight.

BetsyB

Well, I went out and sprung for 2 floresenct grow lights, then thought
what the heck and picked up a 500w Halogen, $5.99 who could resist.

I've got the 2 grow lights on a 12 hr cycle (1600 luemen combined) with
an hour or two of the halogen for good luck, besides that halogen
really does the trick for sads. (gotta remember to wear sunglasses

I've been doing that for 3 days, and my 2 spikes in bud have picked up
color. I'm worried that I might go overboard with the halogen, but my
cats seem to like it.

PS, one of the first home improvement to my house (once it FINNALLY
CLOSES) in Peters Creek will be a greenhouse, but I'm haveing a hard
time on whether to build a lean-to/addition on the side of the house,
or a free standing. Oh that and I could do with 12ft, but think of
everything I could put in a 40ft.